PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper took a knee and grasped his right arm —- the Phillies' star slugger's elbow was bruised, more than 40,000 Phillies fans stomachs were in knots — and the worst was feared as he took off for the tunnel.
“Whenever your top hitters, or your best hitter, gets hit like that," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said, “there’s always some concern.”
Concern, yes. Just likely not a long-term one for the best team in the major leagues.
Harper left Tuesday night's 2-0 win over Atlanta in the first inning after he was hit near the right elbow by a 95.3 mph fastball from Braves starter Spencer Strider.
Harper sustained a bruise, and an X-ray was negative, the Phillies said.
A two-time NL MVP, Harper took a few steps from home plate, dropped to a knee and gripped his arm in pain. Phillies athletic trainers came out to check on Harper, and the first baseman — who wasn't wearing an elbow guard — headed to the clubhouse.
“I'm not a complete sociopath, so I have some empathy,” Strider said. “I do feel bad for him, to see a person in pain that I caused.”
Thomson said Harper was in a lot of pain after he was hit and will be evaluated again Wednesday morning.
“He's a tough guy, too," Thomson said.
Strider was voraciously booed by Phillies fans when he left the mound as the inning ended and the jeers grew even louder when he trudged off the mound after 4 2/3 innings.
“Certainly not trying to hit him,” Strider said. “I thought in the moment, I just assumed he had a guard on and was just pissed that I hit him. Saw him in pain. That was tough. I'm definitely relieved he's OK. He's one of the best players this century. He needs to be on the field. It's best for the game. It's good for us, good to compete against him.”
Harper is hitting .267 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs. He batted .323 (10 for 31) with three doubles, one homer and seven RBIs in seven games on the Phillies' recent trip.
Edmundo Sosa pinch ran for Harper and stayed in the game at third base. Alec Bohm moved to first base.
“I was anxious, but happy there's no break, for sure,” Thomson said.
Harper was 3 for 16 (.188) lifetime in the regular season against Strider. Strider made just his third start for Atlanta since returning from a strained hamstring strain.
The 32-year-old Harper had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow following the 2022 World Series and returned to the lineup just 160 days after the procedure. Harper, in the seventh season of a $330 million, 13-year contract, recently had his 1,000th career RBI and again played a key role in the Phillies' surge to the top of the MLB standings.
Harper missed 53 games in 2022 after he broke his thumb when he was also hit by a pitch.
With Harper on a hot streak, the Phillies remain atop the NL East with a 35-19 record and they had won nine straight games before dropping the finale of their road trip against the Athletics. They were set to play two more against Atlanta before a weekend home set against Milwaukee.
“These guys have been playing well for a while now,” Thomson said. “We've been doing it in different ways. We really pitched tonight.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper is hit by a pitch from Atlanta Braves' Spencer Strider during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper is hit by a pitch from Atlanta Braves' Spencer Strider during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper gets ready in the dugout before a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
New York Jets (3-11) at New Orleans (4-10)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EST, Fox.
BetMGM NFL odds: Saints by 4 1/2.
Against the spread: Jets 7-6-1, Saints 6-8.
Series record: Saints lead 8-6.
Last meeting: Saints beat the Jets 30-9 on Dec. 12, 2021, at New York.
Last week: Jets lost to the Jaguars 48-20; Saints beat the Panthers 20-17.
Jets offense: overall (28), rush (6t), pass (32), scoring (27).
Jets defense: overall (20), rush (29), pass (12), scoring (30).
Saints offense: overall (26), rush (27), pass (20t), scoring (29t).
Saints defense: overall (11), rush (26), pass (6), scoring (19t).
Turnover differential: Jets minus-17; Saints minus-4.
QB Brady Cook. The undrafted rookie will make his second start in a row after making his NFL regular-season debut last week. Cook, a former star at Missouri, was 22 of 33 for 176 yards and one touchdown with three interceptions in the 48-20 loss at Jacksonville. Coach Aaron Glenn said he wants to see more of Cook to evaluate him as the season winds down. Either Tyrod Taylor (groin) or Justin Fields (knee), who missed last week with injuries, will serve as Cook’s backup.
WR Chris Olave. Now in his fourth NFL season, he's closing in on his third 1,000-yard campaign. He has 82 catches for 896 yards and six TDs. Olave also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in his first two NFL seasons (2022 and 2023) before being sidelined for nine games in 2024 by injuries, including a major concussion.
Top Jets pass rusher Will McDonald, a defensive end who has seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 17 QB hurries this season, against rookie left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who was New Orleans' top draft choice last spring, picked ninth overall. McDonald was the Jets' top pick, 15th overall, in 2023 and has no sacks in the last five games since getting four against Cleveland.
Jets: Both Taylor and Fields were listed as questionable for the game. Taylor was a full participant at practice Friday, while Fields was limited. ... TE Mason Taylor (neck), S Tony Adams (groin), LB Kiko Mauigoa (neck) and DL Eric Watts (concussion) were ruled out early in the week. Adams was later placed on injured reserve. … WR Garrett Wilson (knee) remains on IR with a knee injury and coach Aaron Glenn announced Friday he'll be shut down for the rest of the season.
Saints: RB Devin Neal (hamstring) and WR Devaughn Vele (shoulder) were placed on IR. ... RB Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle), and OLs Cesar Ruiz and Asim Richards were ruled out for the game. ... DT Nathan Shepherd (ankle, knee), a third-round pick of the Jets in 2018, was questionable.
The Saints have won four of the past five meetings, including the past two. ... These teams have split six previous meetings in New Orleans.
The Jets have lost two in a row and four of their last five. … Glenn made his first major staff change by firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks on Monday. Chris Harris, the team’s defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator, takes over for Wilks. … New York has no interceptions through 14 games, an NFL record to start a season. It also ties the league mark for most consecutive games without an INT over any 14-game stretch. San Francisco ended its drought earlier this season. … The defense has just two takeaways this season: both on fumble recoveries, including one by rookie S Malachi Moore last week. … Cook was the second undrafted rookie quarterback in franchise history to start a game, joining Bill Demory (1973). … Cook opened against the Jaguars by completing each of his first six passes, the 13th NFL QB since 1991 to do so and the first since Mike White also accomplished it for the Jets in 2021. … The Jets have used the same starting offensive line combination – left tackle Olu Fashanu, left guard John Simpson, center Josh Myers, right guard Joe Tippmann and right tackle Armand Membou – the only NFL team to do so this season. It’s the first time the Jets have used the same starting five in the first 14 games since 2012, when they used only one lineup for the entire season, according to Stats Perform. … Since making his debut with the Jets in Week 11, WR Adonai Mitchell leads the team with 236 yards and two touchdowns on 18 receptions. He needs 76 yards receiving to surpass his total from last year in his rookie season with Indianapolis. … RB Breece Hall is 100 yards rushing from his first 1,000-yard season. He would also become the eighth player in franchise history to run for 1,000 or more yards. ... Saints QB Tyler Shough passed for 272 yards and a TD, and rushed for a team-high 32 yards, in Week 15. ... Shough has at least one TD pass in two of his past three games. ... Olave led New Orleans with 85 yards receiving and a TD in Week 15. He's one of seven NFL players with at least 50 yards receiving in 11 games this season. Olave has a TD catch in two of his last three games and at least 70 yards receiving in each of his past two home games. ... LB Demario Davis had five tackles last week, including his 1,500th career tackle. Davis is one of four players since 2000 to reach the 1,500-tackle mark, along with Lavonte David, London Fletcher and Bobby Wagner. ... Davis was drafted in 2012 by the Jets, with whom he had 467 tackles, 11 1/2 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries and an interception in five seasons over two stints.... LB Pete Werner had his third fumble recovery this season in Week 15, tied with Nashon Wright for most in the NFL this season. ... DE Chase Young led the Saints with six tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack in Week 15. ... Young has a sack in three of his past four games and also in each of his past three home games. ... DE Cameron Jordan has 128 sacks and 750 tackles since 2011 and is one of just two players since 2000, along with Terrell Suggs, with at least 125 sacks and 745 tackles in their career. ... Rookie S Jonas Sanker had six tackles in Week 15 and has at least five tackles in three of his past four games.
Given Shough's ability to produce points running or throwing, his increasing comfort with the offense and the fact he'll be at home against a struggling defense, he could be a good bet to put up decent numbers. The Saints' defense, which could finish in the top 10 in the NFL in fewest yards allowed, also could be a good fantasy play in this matchup.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) high fives fans as he leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)
New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis (32) runs for a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) looks to pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)
Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Dennis Gardeck (47) sacks New York Jets quarterback Brady Cook (4) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) scores a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
